Making his diplomatic debut in the US this week, Yukio Hatoyama, Japan's new prime minister, lost no time in seeking to put his philosophical stamp on the international relations of the world's second largest economy.
In his New York meeting with Hu Jintao, China's president – the first in a series of bilateral summits on the sidelines of United Nations and G20 gatherings – on Monday, Mr Hatoyama called for the disputed gas-rich waters between Japan and China to be turned into a “sea of fraternity”.
Such references to Mr Hatoyama's political philosophy are a rhetorical reminder of the ramifications of Japan's historic change of government last week. Neighbours and global partners used to the diplomacy of the long- ruling Liberal Democratic party have to adjust to the priorities of Mr Hatoyama's centre-left Democrat party.
In one striking change from LDP diplomacy, Mr Hatoyama stressed to Mr Hu his desire to work on creating an east Asian community modelled on the European Union.
Yet lofty appeals to fraternal feelings will hardly be enough to carry Mr Hatoyama through a challenging series of speeches and meetings this week.
In particular, his scheduled encounter today with US president Barack Obama presents an early test of his ability to deliver on DPJ pledges to recalibrate the trans-Pacific alliance, which has been a pillar of regional stability in Asia. Mr Hatoyama has said the goal of the meeting will be to build a “relationship of trust” with Mr Obama.
However, domestic sceptics say more will be needed to ease US concerns over his denunciation of “US-led globalisation” and his enthusiasm for the long-term goal of political and currency integration with neighbours such as China.
There is also disquiet in some Washington circles at DPJ calls to renegotiate a controversial agreement on US bases in Okinawa and the likely end in January of Japanese naval refuelling of US warships in the Indian Ocean.
Nor does Mr Hatoyama appear likely to win early acceptance by Washington of his week-old government's call for revision of plans to relocate the US Futenma marine air base within Japan's southern island of Okinawa.
Yet, while discussion of such issues could yet prove fractious, both sides appear determined to ensure Mr Hatoyama and Mr Obama set a positive tone, with differences put aside for the US president's visit to Tokyo later this year.
When Mr Hatoyama joins other G20 leaders in Pittsburgh tomorrow, he will face calls for co-ordinated action to address “imbalances” blamed for contributing to the global financial and economic crisis and centred on the US trade deficit with Japan, China, and other exporting nations.
However, the DPJ leader will have a ready answer to criticism of Japan's chronic trade surpluses, given his party's stated goal of reducing the domestic economy's reliance on exports.
One of Mr Hatoyama's priorities is to lay the budgetary groundwork for child allowances and tax cuts next year, promised in the DPJ's campaign manifesto, that are intended to boost domestic consumption.
How such arguments are received will depend on how well the diffident former academic is able to make his nation's case.
Mr Hatoyama does seem sure to make at least one good pitch. In a warm-up for an expected opening throw at a baseball game during his US visit, he had no difficulty making simple throws to a former player for the Pittsburgh Pirates, drafted in to help him warm up for the event.
Mr Hatoyama was even able to make a virtue of his lack of sophisticated pitching technique, suggesting his reliance on a direct approach matched his character – and presenting his coach with a piece of calligraphy celebrating the “fraternal straight ball”.
